How do you do it?

Fill in the 16 digit reference number from your V11 reminder
OR
the 11 digit reference number on your log book (V5C)
OR
the 12 digit reference number on your New Keeper Supplement (V5C/2) if you've just bought the vehicle

Verify your vehicle details

Choose how you want to pay (monthly, every six months or every 12 months) and enter your payment card details.

Double check and enter an email address or mobile number for confirmation.

Enter payment details

You’ll get a reference number and that’s it.

No more tax discs

Since October 2014, you no longer need to display a disc on your windscreen, so don’t sit by the letterbox waiting for one. They’re now extinct.

Today, road tax dodgers are caught by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, which track all cars, and trigger fines of up to £1,000 for drivers who don’t have it.

And don’t worry about forgetting to renew your tax because there’s no disc - the DVLA will still issue a reminder when your renewal is due.

Note: In Northern Ireland, drivers still have to display their MOT discs, but not their tax discs.

How to pay

In a move that’s going to make home finances easier to manage for many, you can now pay for your vehicle tax monthly via direct debit. (Not an option for first registration vehicles, fleet schemes or HGVs).

If you choose direct debit, payments will continue automatically for as long as you hold a valid MOT, or until you cancel the direct debit or inform the DVLA that you no longer have the car.

However, be aware there is a 5% charge for paying monthly or six-monthly.

Is there anything else to be aware of?

Yes, when it comes to selling your car, you can no longer transfer the tax with your vehicle. Instead, your existing tax will be cancelled automatically when you tell the DVLA that you have sold the vehicle. It’s then the new owner’s responsibility to arrange new tax and you’ll receive an automatic refund for any remaining months.

Bear in mind refunds are only given for full calendar months remaining.

The same process applies if you declare your vehicle off road or notify the DVLA that it has been exported.

What if my car’s no longer on the road?

You’ll need to make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) if:

You’re not using your vehicle

Not keeping it on a public road

Not wanting to pay road tax - for example if you’re storing a classic car for the winter

You can arrange SORN online, by calling 0300 123 4321 or at a post office. You can submit the application up to two months in advance.

What about classic cars and other tax-exempt vehicles?

If your car is exempt from vehicle excise duty you don’t have to pay anything, but still need to register each year on the DVLA website.

Am I still able to drive abroad?

While most European countries require some form of tax disc or sticker on the windscreen the British government has told the European authorities have been told about UK’s tax disc changes.

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Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited. Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ Registered in England and Wales No.1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Registration number 202810. The Financial Services Register can be accessed through www.fca.org.uk.

Things you need to know about Over 50s life insurance:
Premiums stop after your 90th birthday but you still enjoy cover for the rest of your life. In the first year, if you die from natural causes we will refund any premiums, or if you die as a result of an accident, we will pay your cash sum. After the first year regardless of the cause of death we will pay your cash sum. Depending on how long you live, the total sum paid in premiums may be more than the cash sum payable on death. If you stop paying your premiums before the end of your policy your cover will stop 30 days after your missed premium and you won’t get anything back.
This isn’t a savings or investment product and has no cash value unless a valid claim is made. Inflation will reduce the buying power of your cash sum in the future.